Feeding Bobwhite Chicks

[fireflyhatchery]

I am new to the hobby of raising quail and needed some help. I am able to hatch and keep these silly birds alive for a week on average then they start dying off. Any ideas?

 

[dt1958]

Where are you keeping them after the hatch ? They need to be raised indoors until fully feathered and need a heat lamp in their brooder. If you don't have the brooder at the proper temp they will pile up on each other & you will loose some birds. What are you feeding them ? They need to be started on a 30% game bird feed which I grind up for the first week and always have plenty of fresh water available and protection in the water bowl (marbles/rocks) so they cant drown. Do you have any specifics as to why yours are dying ?

 

[TwoCrows]

X2 on what DT has just said. If the chicks are dying about one week after hatch, it sounds like a draft and or heat problem. Bobwhites need to be started in the brooder at 97 degrees and the temp lowered by 5 degrees each week till 6 weeks. Use a brooder with solid sides, solid flooring and do not cover the top of the brooder with anything but wire or a screen. You want good heat and oxygen exchange. Give Bobs plenty of space to grow as being cramped will cause cannibalism. Feed them a good gamebird food, clean water daily and keep the brooder clean and dry. Raising them on wire is more sanitary than bedding and helps prevent cocci deaths.

 

[fireflyhatchery]

I have the birds in a large tub with tall walls and no top. There is a heat lamp, water and 35 crumble also with wax worms. They are active and look very comfortable but I don't see them ever use the water or food. And this is all inside.

 

[TwoCrows]

What is "35 crumble"? Is that 35% protein food? If so, that is way too high of protein. And coupled with wax worms, is far too much protein for them to break down. Either the chicks are getting too much protein and they are not eating enough and starving, or the high protein is effecting the kidneys enough to kill them. Stop with the wax worms. They could be causing the chicks to choke.

Quail need a protein level of 24% to 28% feed.

 

[fireflyhatchery]

OK thanks for the help. Greatly appreciated and I will keep updates on how successful the next hatch.